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Jelena Kabić
Written By:
Jelena Kabić
About Author
Jelena Kabic is a sports betting writer that focusses on responsible gambling. A psychologist by vocation, Jelena volunteered in a rehab facility, where she worked with gambling addicts. She now reviews all our content to ensure it discusses betting in a socially responsible way.
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Amy Webb
About Author
Amy's introduction to the gambling world was 6 years ago, when she joined a casino operator as a content specialist. Since then, she's helped launch and maintain gambling review sites in over 8 different countries. She's tested dozens of casinos and sportsbooks, which is how she can spot a subpar brand in an instant!
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Top Ontario Betting Sites and Apps — Best Legal Sportsbooks

Cover image for post Betting in Ontario
Betting in Ontario
Top Ontario Betting Sites and Apps — Best Legal Sportsbooks

In Ontario and looking to bet online? This comprehensive guide walks you through everything you need to know about online betting in Ontario!

Find the top Ontario sportsbooks where you can bet online and keep up with the latest legal updates in the province!

Betting apps are a great way to bet on the go, and Ontario is the province with the most available brands in Canada!

All betting apps below are available in Ontario, on both Android and iOS, and I rate them very highly.

Betting AppTop FeaturesEase of NavigationProvince Availability
Bet99Extensive filters, light and dark theme5/5CanadaVisit
Bet365Quick to download, mirrors the website5/5CanadaVisit
BetanoWatch and Bet Feature5/5Ontario OnlyVisit
CaesarsBet on local teams and leagues4/5Ontario onlyVisit
PointsBetRated highly by experts and users5/5Ontario onlyVisit
BetRivers30 sports, strong eSports section4/5Ontario onlyVisit

Apart from these apps, I can specifically recommend bwin, too.

bwin Canada Review 2023 [Should You Bet at bwin?]

bwin is one of the top betting apps Ontarians have access to, and it’s for a couple of reasons:

  1. Varied Prop Bets

  2. Competitive Odds for Sponsored Teams

  3. Very Easy to Navigate via Two Menus

  4. Depositing and In-Play Betting are Super Quick

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The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is responsible for the gambling activities that are conducted by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).

Latest Updates!

On July 6th 2021, the Government of Ontario announced the establishment of iGaming Ontario. This is a subsidiary of the AGCO and it conducts and manages Ontario’s open iGaming market.

At the time of writing, there are a few options if you want to bet on sports in Ontario. Let’s summarise them:

  1. You can use PRO-LINE+, which is the traditional provincial lottery site.
  2. You can sign up to private betting sites with an iGO license. These include Bet99, bet365, Sports Interaction…

From October 31, 2022, the AGCO is forbidding sportsbooks without an Ontario license to accept Ontarian bettors.

The short answer is yes, so long as the casino is regulated by the province.

In the case of Ontario, the only casino gambling option used to be OLG’s online casino.

But after April 4th 2022, players can legally play at any regulated online casino with an iGO license (iGaming Ontario).

That being said, Ontarians can still opt to play at unregulated offshore online casinos. However, I strongly suggest, for your own safety, that you opt for regulated options in the province.

If you want to know more, check out LBC’s guide to online casinos in Ontario!

Top Licensed Online Casinos for Players in Ontario

While no laws regulate the use of DFS in Canada, as there is a lack of agreement on whether it’s a form of gambling or not, Ontario has made its choice.

Tip!

DFS giants like DraftKings accept Canadian players. However, as of April 1st users from Ontario cannot access their DFS section. This is due to Ontario’s new betting market.

Ontario Teams to Bet On

Even if you’re a careful bettor who doesn’t usually fall prey to emotional betting, there’s nothing wrong with betting on the local teams so long as it makes sense!

So if you’re after Ontarian teams worth betting on, here’s a quick list for all of the major sports.

Keep in mind though that any of these teams may win or lose depending on their form and their opponent, so be careful when betting locally!

  • Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL).
  • Edmonton Oilers (NHL)
  • Calgary Flames (NHL).
  • Toronto Argonauts (CFL)
  • Montreal Alouettes (CFL)
  • CF Montréal (MLS)

Horse betting is an exception to the sports betting legislation changes. The regulation of horse betting remains at a federal level in the hands of the Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency.

Unfortunately, once GeoComply detects that a bettor is in Ontario, their options are restricted, as one of the few online horse betting experiences is Woodbine Racetrack’s mobile app.

While most licensed Ontario sports betting sites have removed their horse betting category, thanks to the partnership with Woodbine, bet365 is currently the only licensed operator offering horse betting in the province!

The sports betting scene has seen a lot of changes in Ontario in recent years thanks to the approval of single-event betting.

The single-event sports betting legislation came into force on the 27th of August 2021, leaving it up to each province to implement single-event legal betting as and when they wish.

Check out the infographic below for the latest overview of legal betting in Canada, including Ontario!

Single-Event Betting in Ontario

In the case of Ontario, the province opted to waste no time and enact single-event betting on the same day.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) went live with a new digital sports betting platform named PROLINE+.

This product adds to the selection offered by the existing PRO-LINE brand and offers a wide range of betting options, including single-event bets and competitive odds.

This was only the first step of many that the province took to change sports betting in Ontario as we know it.

In fact, until 2022, it was the only province that expressed interest in opening up the market for private operators to operate.

Alberta recently decided to legalize the presence of two (yet announced) private operators. And with its first provincially regulated option coming into play, sports betting in Saskatchewan may be looking at the same thing.

what was new?

This means that apart from OLG’s PROLINE+, Ontarians could look forward to licensed betting operators from the 4th of April 2022.

Ontario Betting Timeline

  1. Summer 2021 – stakeholders are consulted as the market model is developed.
  2. Summer/Fall 2021 – iGaming Ontario makes draft commercial agreement available to interested operators.
  3. Summer/Fall 2021 – Interested operators submit their application.
  4. Fall 2021 – IT systems are built, configured, and tested.
  5. April 4 2022 – Registered operators start offering their products in Ontario’s regulated market.
  6. October 31 2022 – AGCO sets this date as the deadline for operators to either enter the regulated market, or stop offering services in Ontario.

Although the original timeline was for private operators to start operating by the end of 2021, the timeline was later adjusted to early 2022.

Coming Soon!

In fact, on January 28, 2022, iGaming Ontario confirmed that private sports betting will be coming to Ontario on April 4, 2022.

Why the delay?

For starters, the province’s auditor general released a report stating that the gambling framework is vulnerable to legal challenges. This was due to the wording of the Criminal Code and whether iGaming Ontario is following the guidelines set out in the Code.

Secondly, there were additional challenges when bringing grey-market operators into the regulated market. There will likely be the need for re-registration of players, which takes time for private operators to structure.

More recently, Great Canadian Gaming, which operates 12 casinos in the province, came out urging the province to scrap plans and hand over legal betting to the casinos.

This was based on a report that showed substantial job losses and revenue decline if the province goes ahead with the proposed framework.

What Has Changed for Ontarian Bettors from the 4th of April 2022?

Before the 4th of April, bettors in Ontario could place legal bets at Proline+, or bet at grey-market offshore sportsbooks.

From the 4th of April, Ontarians can place legal bets at Proline+ and regulated private operators with an Ontarian licence.

These regulated sites now have an iGO license (iGaming Ontario), and pay taxes and licensing fees to the provincial government.

Those that don’t have an official iGaming Ontario license yet have recently been prohibited from offering their services to Ontarians.

Considering the vast amount of options available, I recommend that you stick to sportsbooks with an iGO license, as these are definitely safe betting options.

How to Prevent Gambling Addiction

I always encourage bettors to have fun and try to improve their chances of winning. But playing too much and trying too hard may end up, unfortunately, in a gambling addiction.

Make sure you’re aware of all the signs and symptoms of gambling addiction so you can act on time, and take preventative measures to stop it in its tracks, such as:

  • Having a limit on how much you wager and how often you play
  • Ensuring you play at licensed websites that come with proper responsible gambling tools
  • Self-excluding yourself from sportsbooks and casinos if you feel you’re losing control.

FAQ

Where can I bet in Ontario?

Apart from the land-based casinos, you can also bet online. PRO-LINE is a betting site managed by the OLG. OLG is the Ontario government agency that delivers lottery and gaming entertainment in a socially responsible manner.

You also have iGO operators like Bet99 and bet365 that are safe betting options for bettors in Ontario.

What are the top sports betting sites in Ontario?

Betano, Bet99, and bet365 are the best legal betting sites in Ontario. They have competitive odds, variety of betting markets, and cover both popular and niche sports.

Will I pay tax on gambling winnings in Ontario?

No, gambling winnings are not taxable in Ontario. The only exception is if you’re a professional gambler and consider it a full-time job. The changes in the regulated market didn’t lead to any taxation.

Which site has the best odds for betting in Ontario?

Generally speaking, international betting sites like bet365 offer some of the best odds for bettors in Ontario.

What is the legal age of gambling in Ontario?

The legal gambling age in Ontario is 19, same as most provinces in Canada.

Can I bet on sports online in Ontario?

Yes, you can bet using a number of Ontario betting sites such as PointsBet, BetMGM, and LeoVegas. All these brands have an iGaming Ontario license.

Is bet365 available in Ontario?

Yes! With an iGO license in its pocket, bet365 is a fully legal sportsbook available to Ontarians.

Can you bet on UFC in Ontario?

Yes, on January 19, 2023, AGCO lifted the ban imposed on UFC betting in Ontario. That means Ontarians can now once again place bets on UFC games.

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6 thoughts on “Top Ontario Betting Sites and Apps — Best Legal Sportsbooks

    User comments

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